Debate Format
- Defending (for) presents case: 3 min
- Challenging (against) presents case: 3 min
- Defending responds to negative's case: 3 min
- Challenging responds to affirmative's case: 3 min
- Defending summarizes and concludes: 1 min
- Challenging summarizes and concludes: 1 min
After the debate, the class will vote to see which side won. The vote doesn't affect your grade.
Tips
- You are always right: No matter what you really believe, if you want to win, then you have to know that whatever you say is correct and your opposition is wrong. If you make concessions, be able to refute them in some way.
- Strong central argument: Every point you make should be linked back to the central argument.
- Rebut: If the other side has an incorrect fact, rebut it. If they do not link back to their team's case, rebut it. If they give an example that has no relevance, rebut it. Remember, the opposition is wrong and you have to prove it.
- Never insult the opposition: No matter how much you want to, don't! If you want to insult something, do it to their argument. Don't use personal attacks if you want to win. The argument is not personal; it's all about the argument.
- Have passion: Believe in what you are saying and you probably will win. Speak from the heart, but also use logic, evidence, and research when possible.
Debate Templates
- I will argue that....
- I will show that....
- You can see that....
- The evidence shows that...
- My opponent believes.....;however, .........
- All the evidence points toward.....
- This is simply not true because.....
- It is clear that....
- My opponent is wrong because....
Observation Templates
Listen to everything closely. Take notes when something strikes you as clear, unclear, contradictory, unsupported, etc. Assess the debate based on argument, not on emotion or likes/dislikes. If X has a good claim but never states it in the debate, don't take it into consideration when assessing the debate (only consider what is actually argued).
- One thing I thought X did well was.....
- I thought X's strongest argument was....
- When X spoke, I felt like.....
- X were arguing....., but I felt like he/she didn't consider....
- X missed the mark with his/her argument because....
- When X used the word...., it made me think that....
- I thought X was too....
- X's argument was stronger than Y's because....